Full Blown Chaos "Heavy Lies the Crown"

While I do enjoy Madball's latest record, I'm actually more intrigued by their new label mates' Ferret debut, Heavy Lies the Crown. They're both metallic hardcore albums at heart, but Full Blown Chaos' sound is 10 times heavier and intimidating in a much gruffer, burlier way. The chugging breakdowns are massive, the forceful vocals sound like they're coming from some grizzly bear of a human, and the unforgiving songwriting means the beating lasts for most of the album's 45-minute-or-so length.

Taking cues from East Coast heavyweights -- particularly All Out War and Hatebreed -- Heavy Lies the Crown crosses thrashy metal and brute metallic hardcore to familiar, but undeniably effective results. The band ain't winning awards for doing something new, but they manage to whip up enough diversity and sheer strength to keep their latest effort interesting for much of its duration -- assuming you're into this brand of straightforward, metallic hardcore. There are some tasteful melodies, especially in "Firefight" and the title track, and, surprisingly, an instrumental before the closing track, both of which offer some appreciated variety. Really, though, Heavy Lies the Crown sticks to its core and, in all honesty, I like that. This is a certain rebound from the rather forgettable Within The Grasp of Titans.

Crack some heads to this: Full Blown Chaos - Heavy Lies the Crown

Snag your copy here.